Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali

"Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali" is a captivating story that leaves a lasting emotional impact. While there were moments where the pacing seemed a bit slow, I believe those pauses were necessary to fully flesh out the narrative. Without them, the story might have felt incomplete or unfinished. The emotions were consistently deep and moving, pulling the audience into the characters' journeys. The light-hearted comedic moments scattered throughout provided just the right balance, making the movie not just emotional but also enjoyable. These elements together elevated the film to something extraordinary.

The movie is based on a short story that the writer, director Chandrajith Belliappa had written about 10 years ago it seems. Anyway, Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali is a simple love story that reads like poetry. The movie is divided into different chapters with voice over narration at the beginning of each of those enhancing the feel even more. It feels like listening to an audiobook and getting lost in the world. The story revolves around Sid who has a crush on Anahita which doesn't materialize. How this affects him much later in the life and what he does about it forms the rest of the story.

In an era where every movie needs to be an action thriller with mega budgets, heavily computerized EDM tunes and loud BGMs, Ibbani comes across as a breath of fresh air. Its simple story, human-like characters, pleasant music and background score more than suck you into the narrative. But what really pulls you in is the astounding cinematography. Cinematographer Srivathsan Selvarajan opts for a lot of tracking shots with minimal cuts to ensure that we stay with the characters. While this may come across as "lag" in a normal film, here it works wonders and only adds to the poetry that is unfolding on the screen.

I highly recommend watching this movie. This is one of those movies where you need to sit down and immerse yourselves in. If you expect fast paced action or dialogue, then this is not going to be for you. This is supposed to be enjoyed the same way you'd enjoy your morning cup of filter coffee. One sip at a time.

-@CinephileIndia2023.

Siddharth Ashok is about to get married to Radha but is yet to move on from the girl from his past, whom he hasn't seen in 7 years. He is not sure of going through with the marriage and love Radha, as much as he did Anahita. Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali takes us through Sid's first love and how it changes his life. But his first love ends before even starting and what really happened to Sid and Anahita? Why didn't they proceed with their love story? What will happen to Sid and Radha? The film portrays an emotional journey to answer these questions.

Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali is a visually stunning film and I really liked the color grading. The story is pretty much straight forward and the screenplay breaks it into multiple chapters which gets narrated in non-linear way. Ankita Amar excels in her role of Anahita as she gets all the best moments. For a straight forward story, it suffers from predictability and the slow paced narrative doesn't help. I didn't like how much Radha's character got sidelined as the story progressed. Setting aside these complaints, the film definitely had it's moments and especially the Goan taxi driver segment was my favorite. I am going with a lenient rating for the making and the performances. I wished the screenplay was more balanced and treated it's third main character with same importance as the other two.

Visual Masterpiece: A Review

This film is a testament to the art of storytelling. The complex narrative is woven together beautifully, creating a tapestry of emotions and experiences. The cinematography, dialogues, moments of silence, and the background score all contribute to what can only be described as visual poetry. It's a delightful retreat for the senses.

The poetry, dialogues, and timing are soft yet powerful, leaving a lasting impact. The unique chapter-wise illustration adds a fresh dimension to the storytelling, making it stand out. The powerful articulation and the charming performances of the lead actors bring the characters to life, expressing a wide range of emotions with finesse

The songs are soothing and perfectly relevant to the narrative, enhancing the overall experience. The use of photography and filters is visually soothing, reminiscent of the style seen in "Kirik Party." The script and dialogues are powerful and punchy, delivering a melodious and lyrically potent experience.

The film is beautifully narrated, with powerful, humorous dialogues that nourish the relationships portrayed on screen. The facial expressions of the actors are amazing, capturing the essence of their characters.

The final chapter is pure magic. It brings the story to a satisfying conclusion, leaving the audience with a smile and a sense of fulfillment. The film truly articulates the value of relationships and responsibilities, making it a must-watch.

Kudos to the director for this remarkable piece of cinema.

I had the chance to attend the premier and boy was I lucky to experience something as pleasant a movie I've seen in a longtime. Having gone to watch this with not many expectations made me think if my verdict would have changed if otherwise because it would exceed all of it. The performances are top notch and so very natural. Such movies need not be analysed because of its rarity given the large number of ordinary movies we get to choose week in week out. Ankita, the lead heroine has delivered one of the finest performances in recent times with Vihaan and Mayuri matching her in every scene. Go out and watch this masterpiece.